JUNO

Venus, what shall I say, for though I be a dame divine, This welcome and this melody exceeds these wits of mine. And gentle gods, these signs of your goodwill We take in worth, and shall accept them still. She was a nympe indeed, as Pallas ls, A walker, such as in these thickets dwell : And as she told what subtle juggling pranks She played with Juno, so she told her thank : A tattling true l to come at every call, And now forsooth nor tongue nor life at all. And though perhaps she was a help to Jove, And held me chat, while he might court his love Believe me, dams, I am of this opinion, He took but little pleasure in the minion. And what so ere his escapes have be beside, Dare say for him a never strayed so wide: A lovely nutbrown lass, or lusty true l, Have power perhaps to make a God a bull. Had every wanton God above, Venus, not better luck, Then heaven would be a pleasant parcke, & Mars a lusty buck. Forsooth the better is his turn, for if a speak to loud, Must find some shift to shadow him, a net, or else a cloud. Nay, Pallas, that's a common trick with Venus well we know, And all the Gods in heaven have seen her naked, long ago. Pallas, the storm is passed and gone, and Phœbus clears the skies, And lo, behold a ball of gold, a fair and worthy prize. Then Juno may it not enjoy, so every one says no, But I will prove my self the fairest, er I loose it so. The brief is this, . Let this unto fairest given , The fairest of the three and am she. Detur Pulche The fairest . Detur Pulcherrimae. The fairest of the three, and I am . My face is fair, That all the gods in heaven , Would e made them choose of the , To be the wife of I e, and Queen of heaven. Y then this prize be to beauty, The only she that wins this prize am I. Then if you will to avoid a tedious grudge, Refer it to the sentence of judge, Who ere he be that comes next in place, Let him bestow the ball, and end the . Then yonder lo that sheepeherde swain is he, That must be in this controversy. Sheepeherd, abash not, though, at sudden thus, Thou be arrived by ignorance among us, Not earthly but divine, and goddesses all three, Jun , Pallas, Venus, these our titles be. Nor fear to speak, for reverence of the place, Chosen to end a harden and doubtful case. This apple lo (nor ask thou whence it came) Is to be given unto the fairest dame. And fairest is, nor she, nor she, but she, Whom, sheepeherd, thou shalt fairest name to be. This is thy charge, fulfil without offence, And she that wins shall give thee recompense. Nay, sheph e, look upon my a ely grace, Because the pomp that longs to They mayest not see and think Queen Juno S name, To whom old shepherd's title works of fa e, Is mighty, and may easily suffice, At Phebus hand to game a golden p ize. And for thy meed, sith I am Queen of riches, Shepherd, I will r ward thee with grea e monarchies, Empires, and kingdoms, heaps of massy gold, Sceptres and diadems, curious to behold, Rich robes, of umpteous workmanship and cost, And thousand things whereof I make no bo st The mould whereon thovve treadest shall be of Tagus sands, And Xanthus shall run liquid gold for the to wash thy hands: And if thou like to tend thy flock, and not from them to she, Their fleeces shall be curled gold to please their Master's eye. And last, to set thy heart one fire, gyve this one fru to to me, And, S epherd, lo this Tree of Gold will I bestow on thee. The ground whereon it g oh S, the grass, the root of gold, The body and the bark of gold, all to behold, The leaves of burnished gold, the fruits that thereon grow Are diadems set with pearl in gold in gorgeous glistering show: And if this Tre of Gold, in lue may not suffice, Require a grove of golden trees, so Juno bear the prize. B to he shall rue, and ban the dismal day wherein his Venus bore the ball away: And heaven and earth joust witnesses shall be, I will revenge it on his progeny. Why, Mercury, why do ye not indite him. Nay, gods, I troe you are Like to have great silence, Unless this parrot be commanded hence. Yea gentle Jove, when Juno's suits are moved, Then heaven may see how well she is beloved. Phœbus, I wot, amid this heavenly crew, There be that have to say as well as you No doubt, sir, you could note it cunningly. And that in passion does to Mars belong. And here I promise and protest withal, By Stix, by heavens power imperial, By all that longes to Juno's deity, Her crown, her mace, ensigns of majesty: Her spotless marriage-rites, her league divine, And by that holy name of Proserpine, That wheresoever, this ball of purest gold, That chased Diana here in hand does hold, Unpartially her wisdom shall bestow, Without mislike oh quarrel any more, Juno shall rest content and satisfied, And say the best desert does there abide. The lovely graces were not far away, They threw their balm for triumph of the day. To her whom Juno's looks so well become, The queen of heaven yields at Phœbus doom. And glad I am Diana found the art, Without offence so well to please desert. So is the queen of heaven content likewise, To yield to thee her title in the prize. Beshrew her whom this sentence does offend.